Pneumatic wound dressing



March 2, 1965 H. J. TOWLE, JR., ETAL PNEUMATIC wouno oaassmc Filed Aug.29, 1962 A T TORNEV United States Patent Oflice 3,1 7 1,4 Fatented Mar.2, 1 965 3,171,410 PNEUMATH C WDUND DRESSING Herbert J. Towle, In, US.Navy (7917 Sleaford Place,

Bethesda, Md), and Robert W. Longton, US. Navy (2909 Terrace Drive,Chevy Chase, Md.)

Filed Aug. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 220,949

4 Claims. (Cl. 128155) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. (lode (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government of the United States of America for governmentalpurposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to dressings for wounds and more particularly toa pneumatic wound dressing.

Prior art wound dressings of the type using pressure to staunch the fiowof blood are typically tied in position by attached bandages. Pressureto control bleeding is attained by the tightness of the bandages. Suchbandages are commonly wrapped several times around the injured part andthen tied. In a mass casualty situation, such as in battle, speed intreatment is of the essence. More patients treated earlier means morelives saved.

An object of the present invent-ion is to provide a dressing for woundwhich can be more quickly applied than the prior art type of dressingand which will effectively control bleeding by pneumatic pressuredirectly over the wound site.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view showing the inner face of a dressing constituting onepreferred embodiment of the invention with the protective coveringpartially removed from the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape; and

FIG. 2 is a view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, partially in crosssection, showing the dressing being applied toa wound with alternativemeans for inflating the pneumatic chamber of the dressing.

The invention comprises an inflatable bladder having on one side thereofa gu-aze pad or the like for application to the wound and having on theother side thereof tape provided with pressure-sensitive adhesive forattaching the dressing to the injured part.

Pressure achieved by inflating the bladder is applied directly to thewound site to staunch the flow of blood.

Reference is now made to the drawings. Numeral 1 indicates an inflatablebladder or the like which can be made of any suitable material such aspolyethylene or rubberized cloth. Gn the inner face of the dressing, fordirect application to the wound is a generally conventional gauze pad 2.For attaching the dressing to an injured part, a tape 3 is providedpassing over the outer side of the bladder opposite the side having thegauze pad. Conveniently the bladder can be held between the pad 2 andthe tape 3 by sewing the pad and tape together as at 4. The tape isprovided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 5 which is covered with aneasily removable proteotive covering such as crinoline 6 to preventundesired adhesion of the tape when not in use. The bladder 1 can beinflated by any suitable procedure. Conveniently a filling tube or thelike 7 is provided through which fluid such as air or other gas can beintroduced into the bladder to inflate it. The entryway 7 preferablycontains a valve to prevent the leakage or the fluid from the bladder.If no valve is used the entryway can be closed by clamping or tying. Thebladder can be filled from any convenient source such as a chargedcylinder of gas 8, a tube 9 to facilitate inflating the bladder bymouth, or a bulb syringe, etc.

As is apparent from the drawing, the dressing of this invention isquickly applied simply by removing the proteotive covering 6 from thepressure-sensitive adhesive tape applying the gauze pad 2 or the likedirectly to the wound and then fastening the dressing in position bysticking the tape to the body adjacent the injured part as, for example,by circumvolution of an arm or leg. Pressure directly over the woundsite is acquired by inflating the bladder 1, either by puncturing acharged cylinder 8 or blowing through a tube 9 or from a bulb syringe(not shown). In this invention the pressure of the inflated dressingsubstitutes for .the tightness of the prior art con ventionalcircumferential bandages which require considerably more time to apply.

The dressing of this invention can be made in several sizes to permitthe user to select a suitable dressing to fit a particular injury. Thegauze pad may be impregnated with a medicament if desired.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A dressing for wounds comprising an inflatable bladder, an absorbentpad on one side of said bladder for application to a wound to bedressed, and pressure sensitive adhesive tape on said bladder extendingbeyond the edges of said bladder and pad so as to provide an area ofsaid tape for application to a patient for holding said dressing inplace on the body of a wounded patient.

2. The dressing of claim 1 wherein said tape is attached to said bladderto pass over the side of said bladder opposite said pad with theadhesive side of said tape facing said pad.

3. The dressing of claim 1 further including means for inflating saidbladder.

4. The dressing of claim 1 wherein said tape on its adhesive face isprovided with a readily-removable protective covering to preventundesired adhesion of said tape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 519,894 5/94Schutz 128-155 2,571,461 10/51 Livingston et a1 128327 2,618,269 11/52Baum et a1. 128-327 2,629,378 2/53 Barton 128-155 X 2,858,830 11/58Robins 128155 X 3,050,064 8/62 Moor et a1. 128-327 FOREIGN PATENTS91,319 3/58 Norway.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

1. A DRESSING FOR WOUNDS COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE BLADDER, AN ABSORBENTPAD ON ONE SIDE OF SAID BLADDER FOR APPLICATION TO A WOUND TO BEDRESSED, AND PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE ON SAID BLADDER EXTENDINGBEYOND THE EDGES OF SAID BLADDER AND PAD SO AS TO PROVIDE AN AREA OFSAID TAPE FOR APPLICATION TO A PATIENT FOR HOLDING SAID DRESSING INPLACE ON THE BODY OF A WOUNDED PATIENT.